California - North Coast Flashcards
What are the five ‘Super AVAs’ of California
1) North Coast
2) San Fransisco Bay
3) Central Coast
4) South Coast
5) Sierra Foothills
As of December 2022, how many AVAs does California have?
147
What is the best known U.S. wine region
Napa Valley AVA and it’s sub-appelations
What are the most popular wines made in Napa Valley?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet-led Bordeaux style blends.
What are the three largest California counties as far as wine grape acreage goes?
1) San Joaquin
2) Sonoma
3) Napa
How much wine production in California does Napa contribute to?
4%
What mountain ranges flank Napa Valley
The Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca Mountains to the east.
What geographical influences allows Napa Valley to stay warm and sunny?
The mountains on either side of the valley that protects it from the cool air coming off of the Pacific Ocean.
3/4 of Napa County’s total grape acreage is devoted to red or white varieties?
Red varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Petit Syrah, and Malbec
What are the leading white varieties in Napa County?
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
What body of water provides cool foggy air to the southern part of Napa
county?
San Pablo Bay
How many AVAs are in Napa County?
17 including Napa Valley AVA.
The majority of these appellations are in the western part of the county
What counties does the North Coast AVA include?
Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Solano, and Marin
What is the gap that funnels the cool air from the San Pablo Bay into Napa Valley?
Petaluma Gap
What does Napa Valley’s elevation range from?
0 to 2000ft above sea level.
What kind of style does Cabernet Sauvignon from the mountains of Napa Valley produce?
The mountain fruit from the sundrenched hillside vineyards of Napa produces Cab that is prized for its density, dark fruit, and concentration.
What kind of fruit does the hillside vineyards of Napa produce?
Smaller berries with higher acidity due to the cooler temps from the higher elevation.
What are the appellations that are considered mountainside AVAs?
To the West:
-Mount Veeder
-Diamond Mountain District
-Spring Mountain District
To the East:
-Atlas Peak
-Howell Mountain District
What is the only AVA on in the North Coast AVA that is elevation specific?
Howell Mountain, starting at 1400ft of elevation
What AVA is the coolest and wettest of the mountain AVAs?
Howell Mountain
What is a viticulture concern for Napa’s hillside growers?
Erosion.
Heavy winter rains can wash away a vineyards entire topsoil.
What kind of Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be produced in the valley floor appellations of Napa?
Valley fruit tends to make more elegant and supple style of wines with less color and intensity.
What appellations are considered valley floor AVAs in Napa?
Yountville, Oakville, Stags Leap District, Calistoga, St. Helena, and Rutherford.
What is Rutherford AVA known for?
‘Rutherford Dust’
It produces wine with a firm tannic structure.
What grape is planted in Carneros for both still and sparkling wine?
Pinot Noir
How many miles of coastline does Sonoma have?
Over 50 miles
How much of California’s wine production is Sonoma responsible for?
6%